Brazil's fast economic growth attracts football stars back home

CCTV BEIJING - Brazil's fast and stable economic growth in recent years is helping to reverse one of the country's high-profile exports, the sale of football players to the rest of the world.

In the first six months of this year, 230 Brazilian football players were exported to football clubs around the world and 478 overseas players were imported to Brazil, according to the latest data released by the Federation International of Football Association (FIFA).

As the traditional football player buyers, such as the United Kingdom, Spain and Italy, are suffering from economic crisis, their clubs have to give up some international players because they are too expensive. Some of the players choose to play in Asian clubs and most Brazilian players choose to return home.

"I've spent 14 years abroad, and now I come back to Brazil," said Ze Roberto, former Brazilian national football team player.

"I've played overseas for more than six years. Two and a half in Ukraine, another two and a half in the UK, and one and a half in Turkey. Now I am back and signed Gremio one month ago," said Elano Blumer, a Brazilian national team player.

Vanderlei Luxemburgo, former coach of the Brazilian national football team and Real Madrid, said that Brazil's fast economic growth in recent years is a major factor that attracts Brazilian players back from Europe.

"Brazil's economy is running stabler and becoming more competitive. Football has also benefited from the fast economic growth. Brazil is a traditional football player exporter, because Europe gives better offers to players. Now Brazil's clubs have gained more economic power to keep Brazilian players play at home," said Luxemburgo.